I can’t believe it’s almost December. This year is winding down, and before we know it we’ll be in 2012. I’ve hardly started thinking about next year yet.

But it’s time to start! As the year comes to an end I become increasingly aware of the looming new year, and especially during January, I start to look at the big picture, map out my plans, and start on an organizational system that will get me through the next twelve months successfully.

Kirsten Fischer recently posted about this on FreelanceSwitch in her article Getting Ready for Next Year – Now. She includes a useful list of four specific, “doable” tips to get you started:

Create a new filing system.

Collect receipts.

Find an accountant.

Get out one last marketing push.

Check out the entire post for more details.

What about you? What will you do over the next month or two to prepare for the new year? What would you add to Kristen’s list?

We're excited to let you know that now, in addition to Twitter and Facebook, you can get involved with the Tuts+ community over at Google+! We'll be using Google+ to let you know about our latest tutorials, competitions, and Tuts+ news.

Through Google+, we'll be publishing links to our new tutorials and articles, industry news, graphics and examples from our community, and lots more! It's going to be an extension of the Tuts+ sites and community, in the same way we treat Twitter and Facebook.

Add Us to Your Circle

You can check out our page for the Tuts+ network in general, or add one of the individual sites to your circles to stay up-to-date with the latest news and tutorials:

LoungeKat has written a brilliant post on Webdesigntuts+ called 5 Traits of a Successful Icon Designer. Though the post is especially aimed at icon designers and web designers, its points are applicable to us all.

Kate sums up what it takes to be successful in design in the intro to the article:

The truth is, it's managing to be many things at once and keeping a balance between communicating a concept and crafting great designs.

Wow………..what can I say!! This is one of the best post I've visited in this weekend.

And you’ll find even more of Kate’s knowledge and experience in her book Rockstar Icon Design, published by Rockable Press. Kate explains:

The book is the kind of book I wish I had while I was learning the ropes of icon design. I cover everything from the history and theory of icon design, to best practices and methods. I also share my experiences and take readers through the whole process of creating an icon set, by going through actual tutorial exercises where you design icons from scratch.